Challenging for Equity above all

Dear Iain McNicol -Labour Leadership Vote – What a Farce

This is the letter I sent to Iain McNicol this morning as I too have received my email denying me my vote!

Dear Iain McNicol

As a previous Labour Member who didn’t renew my membership due to concerns with actions by my local Labour Party and what I perceived as a lack of opposition from the Parliamentary group, I maintained my belief in Labour’s aims and values.

Given this I willingly paid my £3.00, which I can ill afford as a disabled benefit recipient, to become an Affiliated Supporter and vote for my preferred candidate in the Leadership campaign.Upon receiving my electronic ballot paper I immediately duly voted but today I received an email informing me my vote will not be counted?

The email states “We have reason to believe that you do not support the aims and values of the Labour Party or you are a supporter of an organisation opposed to the Labour Party and therefore we are rejecting your application.” I refute this supposition completely, and as a lifelong Labour supporter ask you give me your “reasons” by return. Given the deadline for voting, this request is of the utmost urgency.

This is addressed to you as the promoter of the Leadership race and request you give this your urgent attention

In anticipation of a speedy response

I had to send this to Liz Kendall as my MP with the request – please forward this to Iain McNicol who has no email

This has happened to so many people (myself, a life-long Labour Supporter, included) it is an absolute disgace. It simply boils down to Kendall and the rest of them being bad losers. What on Earth is the point of having a supposedly “Democratic Election” if they are going to fiddle the vote because they don’t like the result? It is a shameful display of spoilt children throwing their toys out of their Designer Prams. If it happened in a Developing Country, Britain would be the first to start screaming “Dictatorship”!!

Reblogged this on Ramblings of a Fibro Fogged Mind and commented:
Jayne has been blocked from voting on the labour leadership. I find this astonishing as she has fought tooth and nail for many of the Labour Party principals… What is going on… Vote rigging? Or Macarthyesk witch hunting… Dxxx

Labour are unfit to govern when they can’t even organise a ballot. They are discriminating against genuine supporters. They need a lesson in democracy when two of the candidates advocate division rather than unity.

You said it Jeffery! Bunch of limp-wristed Tory Imitating Career Politicains. We desperately need some fire in our opposition if we are to stop the Tory Decimation that is going on unchecked at the moment!!

Labour have dug themselves into a hole, but instead of LISTENING, LEARNING and EMBRACING they are digging themselves deeper into that hole and burying themselves in it! People all over the world are sick and tired of the few controlling the world, the rich make their money off of the backs of the workers and most of them don’t even pay a living wage. The way sick and disabled people have been treated by this and the last government is abhorrent and inexcusable and one too many Labour MP’s have stood by and let it happen, Corbyn is looking out for everyone he is out for the people not for himself. The system is corrupt, needs over hauling and brought into the 21st century and Corbyn is the man to do that.

So far, I have not (quickly checks email) had my membership rescinded or my vote discounted. I joined as a member on the day nominations closed & stated that I was joining as Labour “now had a candidate for Labour who I believed properly represented both myself and what Labour has always been supposed to stand for”. I placed my vote online the day after I received my paper ballot. I haven’t been shy about saying who I’ve voted for (so far the only candidate who hasn’t sent me a “Have you voted?” email, which then asks who I voted for if I select “yes”, is Kendall. Cooper’s campaign webpage made me laugh at it’s unadulterated gall (and perhaps greed) – I select “Yes” I have voted; then “Corbyn” as my 1st pref; when I clicked “next” I expected it, like Burnham’s site did, to ask me who my 2nd pref was, but it asked me for a donation to her campaign instead!

I am keeping an eye out. I still haven’t had any responses to my call on social media for anyone who has been “purged” who had voted for, or declared an intent to vote for, one of the ABC candidates. The closest I have heard was a 3rd-hand tale of two Kendall supporters (the stories were so similar I wondered if they were actually the same person) who claimed to have also been kicked off. Mind you, it would be quite easy to suggest that said ABC supporters were fakes or hadn’t been purged etc. Not sure how you’d get absolute proof of veracity

Wow! Jayne
You too, what the hell are Labour playing at? There are quite a few people on Twitter saying they have had their vote blocked & are outraged.
I just cannot in my widest dreams understand why the ABC think that JC’s policies are not what the majority of working class voters want and totally agree with . Are they so stupid as to not realise their stance on welfare etc is what lost them the election & the reason they lost Scotland. If labour carry on the way they are, they are on the road to utter destruction.
I would have thought labour would have been delighted to get all the disillusioned labour supporters back on board no matter who they are voting for leader… I am sorry but it all stinks to hell of corruption, this has really upset me that you Jayne of all people have been rejected.

Hilary, 772013, ‘You too, what the hell are Labour playing at?’ It looks suspiciously like what they are doing is rigging the election for the leader of the Labour Party, so Corbyn does not win. Surely, if a political party refuses to accept people who may have disagreed with some of its polices in the past, or voted for another party (not relevant in this instance), by definition it can not ever take on any new members! There is one exception, those who have just became old enough to join the party, and who have not voiced any non-Blairite political views prior to that moment in time. Talk about policies that are designed to make sure Labour never win an election – this has to be the ultimate.

Hi Jayne .Sorry to read the news this morning .My father who was a local labour councillor for 50 years has not yet had his ballot paper .He is also struggling to contact the labour party .He did get a reply from Tom Watson . tom@tom-watson.com. Although it took 24 hours . My father will be going to the press today if he has not had an acceptable response .I suggest you do the same .I myself managed to vote late last week but was surprised to have electoral register officer at my door last night saying i wasn’t on the electoral register ,despite re registering online over a month ago .I like you am outspoken about labours lack of response to benefit cuts ,social care ….and labours limp response to tory cruelty in general .{that’s why we are so keen to vote }.
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your hard work supporting vulnerable people like myself {mental health }and my old friend Brian who has alzheimer’s { no social care } .Your blogs and campaigning work have helped to keep me going for a long while now .Please keep us informed as to what’s going on and i will try and help in any way i can .Thank you and all the best .Daryl Clifford .

Sorry to hear this Jayne… but the Labour establishment are really hoist by their own petard. If Corbyn wins regardless (even without your vote), his position is very solid. But if he loses who is going to believe that the ballot wasn’t rigged by this purge? This purge will either enhance Corbyn’s legitimacy or undermine Burnham or Cooper’s. Thankfully, your MP is not in with a shout.
Sxx

Oh Jayne, I too had my doubts about rigging, I no longer have any doubt what so ever, You’ve always stood for socialist values and stood up for the more unfortunate in our society. I will repost this where ever I can.
Keep up the good fight.
xx

Thoughts on the crossroads of law, politics and society - for when 140 characters just won't do. This blog contains general information and commentary on legal matters. It is not intended to provide legal advice. This blog discusses the law in England, unless otherwise stated.